Beer: Ratings & Reviews

Came home after a long day with the family and was looking for something a little bit different to end the night with. I went for this one, mainly because I had never heard of it before I got it, and you really cannot go wrong with sly fox, well in my experience anyway. So, I grabbed this one out of the fridge and poured it into a long pilsner glass and sat down for a night of baseball drafting. The pour was very nice with a rich hazelnut like tone. Some hints of red around the edges, but mostly brown, with a very nice consistency and clarity in it. Lots of carbonation could be seen in the form of bubbles chaining up toward the surface to reinforce the frothy top. There was a very nice three-inch high head of foam, which took over on the top immediately after the pour. Now this did not stick around for very long, and in fact, it more or less just faded in a few moments, however it did manage to lave behind a very nice layer of foam and some good-looking side glass lace. Not a bad looking scotch ale so far.

Went in to take a closed look and was amazed at how light the aroma was. Some nice hints of earthy and grassy like tones were all over this one. No really heavy caramel or sweetness to it, that for some reason or another I was expecting to encounter. Not a hint of the alcohol either, which at this point I have no clue as to what it actually is. Now then, there was some slight roasted touch to it, however the overall just presence of it, was a touch on the light side if I have to be honest. The flavor was great, just again as with the aroma, it came up a little on the light side. Nice profile though with a medium body and lots of carbonation that really made it very smooth and a very easy drinker, as this bottle was gone in literally a blink of an eye, and I had not even realized I was drinking it that fast, truly a testament to its Drinkability and overall feel. The flavors were very earthy, with a rich malt profile. Lots of grains and even a touch of smoked like flavor trying to creep on it. Really quite nice, I just wished it was a touch stronger was all. But nonetheless, it was still very good. So then, I have to admit for a wee heavy, it was tremendously drinkable and really pretty much a session ale for me.

Overall, this was not bad at all, and really kept me solidly in the Sly Foxx camp for sure. This was a brilliant concoction for sure and one that I will look forward to trying again, with my only real knock against it would be that it was a touch light and I would have liked it to be a little heavy and a touch sweeter, but other than that I thought this was a really nicely crafted ale and I would definitely have another one of these anyway.

Had this on tap @ Cobblestones, served cool in a goblet."Oft go astray" as translated.A - Dark mahogany w/ a copper highlight at the base of the goblet. The ale is capped by about a millimeter of light tan head that collects at the sides of the glass. Relatively little lace forms.

M- Very rich and mouth coating w/ low carbonation and overwhelming malt dominance and woody grainy notes. The middle has husky elements and this finishes sweet w/ an almost buttery smoothness.

T - Very rich w/ herbal flavors mixed w/ roasted, chocolate malt and tinges of peat w/ smoked notes in the peripheral flavors. Slightly nutty, mild w/ the hops and thick buttery sweetness w/ a slight tinge of booze as the glass nears empty. There is a nicely interwoven husky grain and gentle spice w/ very solid blend of flavorsas the ale has very little to knock it for.

D - A very good scottish Wee Heavy-it hits every taste bud's expectation, I would love to imbibe this in higher quantities. It really shows the skill of the brewing staff @ Sly Fox w/ a finely crafted Scottish I really enjoyed the subtle yet well crafted flavors.

Poured a dark copper with a small bubbly head that all but vanished about halfway through. Roasted malt and sweet caramel in the smell, with notes of peat and smoke...aka a Scotch ale. Roasty malts in the taste, biscuity, with some booze noticeable right off the bat, even though the ABV wasn't too extravagant. Smooth, with flavors of toffee and peat. Medium mouthfeel, a bit filmy, not great, but drinkable overall.

The beer pours a dark brown color with a thick frothy offwhite head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a wonderful burnt toffee and light peated scent along with a mild dry roasted aroma as well. The taste is decent. It has a nice malty flavor that boasts of burnt toffee and crystal malts. It goes down easy and finishes a bit thin with some subtle warmth. The mouthfeel is decent as well. It is a full bodied beer with good carbonation. This is a pretty good wee heavy, although I prefer them thicker and less carbonated.

Pours a dark mahogany color with copper hues along the edges. There is a light tan head of foam that settles to leave relatively little lace forms.

Aromas begin with lightly toasted bready malt with slightly smokey/peaty notes. As it warms you get more of the caramel maltinesss and hints of chocolate.

The tastes begin with toasted bread, chocolate and a touch of light peat maltiness. As it warms you get slightly nutty notes with mild earthy hops and and emerging caramel sweetness.

The mouthfeel is on the heavier side of medium bodied with medium to low carbonation. Finish is overwhelmingly malt dominant with lingering earthy and grainy flavors.

Overall this was a pretty good American version of a classic scottish Wee Heavy. It is on the more drinkable side as well because of the "lower" than normal ABV for this style. Higher ABV offering often are boozy and too alcohol forward where this strikes a great balance of strong malty flavors without being too sweet or overwhelming in any way.

A deep chestnut color ale almost opaque. A tan head sits on top of sizeable proportions, fades with some lacing.Aroma finds sweeter malts some roasted and a pinch of toffee.Taste is quite good with a sweet malt bill, roasted just a hint and a wee bit of toffee. Finishes smooth on the palette with a tich of alcohol warming. A pretty fair offering.

A - One and a half finger's worth of audibly fizzy perfectly uniform off-white colored head that quickly fizzes away leaving a thin veil of lacing... An immediate rush of carbonation during the pour before turning mostly still with only a stray carbonation bubble here and there... The color is a deep rich dark brown...

T - The smokiness and peat notes take on a more prominent role on the palate... They are backed up by the rest of the malty goodness alluded to by the nose... Caramel... Fig... Plums... Toffee... Some faint coffee... Light roasted malts... Very nice...

D - A very nice local Scotch Ale... Something that I would gladly drink again... Above average for the style, but also a bit removed from the top tier... Recommended for BAs who appreciate the style...

A ruddy brown brew that produces a light tan head in my tulip tumbler. A couple of fingers maybe. Clearish with lots of sediment floating in suspension, no carbonation activity visible. The gentle head fades and leave streaks of lace here and there.

Smell is burnt caramel and toffee. Some peat like smoke. Then more burnt sweetness with a roasted grain underlying it all.

Taste is peaty malt and gently sweet toffee. Smoked burnt caramel. Hops are mild and floral. Roasted dark grains hold it together. A fruitiness develops as it warms. Finish is sweetly hopped with a mild sourness that leads to crackery notes lingering on the palate. Not very complex but very good nonetheless.

Mouthfeel is silky smooth with gently carbonation that leads to a light creaminess. Maybe a touch thin for a wee heavy...yeah a touch on the light side. Still nice though.

Drinkability is exceptionaly dangerous for this style. You can kill a few pints before you know what hit you. By then you'll be in the middle of your third glass!!! Watchout!!!

Poured for me 22 ounce bottle into an imperial pint glass. Pours a chestnut brown color with ruby highlights. A quarter inch off-white head reduces to a thin collar around the class.

Has a very malty aroma, with hints of peat and very mild hops.

The taste similarly is quite malty, with a cherry tang that hits mid sip, finishing with mild bitterness. Peat, oak, and even moss seem to be present in the taste. The taste really begins to open up as the beer warms.

Medium bodied, this is a very smooth drinking ale. It has a clean finish that begs you to take another sip as you drink it.

An enjoyable Scottish ale, what it lacks in complexity it makes up for in drinkability. It is easy drinking, with a great malt backbone. It's no Founders Dirty Bastard, but it's definitely worth a try.

Pours a brownish color, thin fizzy head without much retention and no lacing observed. Smell was interesting. Sweet, for sure. Some caramel and toffee, light toasted bread. But, grape popsicles? Where did that come from? Lured in by the smell, the taste was a step up. The "purple" smell was basically gone in flavor. A touch of fruit, though. Great body of caramel and toffee, with some chocolate becoming more present. Hints of smoke and roasted flavor. Light grassy hops. Mouthfeel is a tad thin but very smooth going down like silk. Almost too easy in the drinkability department. Scary how this one goes down. Somewhat inconsistent overall but still a memorable brew in my book.

Pours deep brown similar in color as root beer with a small head, and below average lacing. Below average carbonation with a sweet smell of malts and mild hops. Tastes malty and very sweet with a slight woody and bitter taste. Light on the pallet, this beer is not bad but could use more flavor.